Themed anthologies run the risk of boring the reader with dozens of similar stories, and that is doubly true for a theme that is so extremely specific as the Machine of Death-anthology (soon to be followed by Vol.II). But the editors have managed to compile from their submission a richly varied set of short stories, which entertain, move, thrill--yes, and even shock.
The theme is unique to the point of oddness: what if there's a machine that can predict the manner of your death from a single drop of your blood? The machine is never wrong, but often ironic, elliptical or quirky. A prediction of 'old age' might mean a peaceful death after a long life, but might just as well imply that you will be stampeded by a horde of deranged geezers.
If such predictions, such Machines of Death, are readily available, would you want to know? What would the knowledge do with you? How would the existence of such a machine change society as we know it? The possibilities are endless, from people spending their life avoiding the predicted death to others embracing their fate and preparing for it, from attempts to ban the MoD to fanatical followings.
Each story in this anthology is a gem of insight and originality. If you're a short story lover, this one's definitely for you!
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- This Is How You Die: Stories of the Inscrutable, Infallible, Inescapable Machine of DeathPaperbackEUR 8.68 shippingOnly 7 left in stock (more on the way).
Customers say
Customers find this collection of stories highly readable and entertaining, with a brilliant premise that explores different takes on the concept of knowing one's death. The book features a huge diversity and range, with each story having its own unique feel and style, and customers appreciate its thought-provoking nature and humor. Customers praise the writing quality, with one noting the diversity of writing styles, while another highlights how the stories maintain consistent details across the collection.
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70 customers mention readability, 67 positive, 3 negative
This was a great read with a lot of interesting concepts and thought provoking ideas. Take your time and enjoy reading and thinking with this book.Read more
...Fun that a few words can mean very different things. Entertaining and so good I ordered the sequel immediately before I finished the first....Read more
...All of the short stories within are interesting, thought-provoking, and unique without being jarring when read straight through....Read more
Very neat, captivating read!Read more
66 customers mention story collection, 64 positive, 2 negative
...Some are hilarious. All of them make you think. A wonderful collection of short stories!Read more
...Due to the fact that it is a book of short stories it allows you to skip stories where you don't like the writing....Read more
Great book with a lot of interesting stories. If you like macabre, you'll like this....Read more
A really interesting premise to start with, and a lot of interesting short stories building upon it. Nice to read, entertaining.Read more
43 customers mention thought provoking, 42 positive, 1 negative
Equal parts hilarious, moving, thought-provoking, and all sorts of other good adjectives. Every story brought something unique to the collection....Read more
...Every one is well-crafted and thought provoking. This is a must read for anyone who is ever going to die.Read more
A thoroughly interesting and thought provoking read with moments of heartwarming and humour....Read more
...much interest, the vast majority of them were creative and gave great insight to the mentality of a person or a group of people who know how they...Read more
28 customers mention humor, 26 positive, 2 negative
...approaches the subject matter in a different way that may come off as humorous, mysterious, or dark, but the one thing binding all these stories...Read more
...There is both real drama and real humour—if a good deal more of the former....Read more
...a first-rate effort, with stories that evoke sentimentality, dystopia, comedy, despair, freedom, and hope....Read more
...Sometimes hilarious and always thought-provoking, Machine of Death has been my favorite compilation of the past year and deserves high accolades for...Read more
26 customers mention premise, 24 positive, 2 negative
...tended to surprise me, even though they all began with the same interesting premise.Read more
...It's quite a ride and an interesting concept. Certainly worth the purchase.Read more
A really interesting premise to start with, and a lot of interesting short stories building upon it. Nice to read, entertaining.Read more
...I love the concept for this book and buying it is a great way to support independant writers!Read more
22 customers mention story quality, 17 positive, 5 negative
...Through unexpected twists and dark humor, Machine of Death is sure to become a favorite.Read more
I love this book, all of the stories are really good. There are some great twists that you wouldn't expect, and even the ones you know to expect may...Read more
...And for the simple plot, each story was unique.Read more
...with the main character's cause of death, each has a completely unpredictable ending....Read more
18 customers mention variety, 18 positive, 0 negative
The premise for the book is original, and unique. Regardless of what else you may think, this book will go down in history.Read more
...Each story in this anthology is a gem of insight and originality. If you're a short story lover, this one's definitely for you!Read more
...This Anthology features so many unique and creative voices in writing. I would recommend it to anyone– literally anyone....Read more
...Each story is interesting, and they are varied enough that it never gets boring. Some of the stories are so unexpected....Read more
16 customers mention writing quality, 15 positive, 1 negative
...With the exception of a few of them, these stories are very well written and do a good job of exploring all different angles of this hypothetical...Read more
...Each story is incredibly well written by profound and skilled authors....Read more
All of these stories are cleverly written considering their base of a purely hypothetical premise. Some are sad. Some are hilarious....Read more
...Even then I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of writing styles, and drawn into this world....Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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Top reviews from other countries
- Dr. RoxReviewed in the United Kingdom on February 25, 2012
Fascinating premise
Format: KindleVerified Purchase - Pedro MeloReviewed in Germany on August 13, 2020
Great premise, amazing results
Format: KindleVerified Purchase -
MaximReviewed in Germany on April 20, 2012
Solide Unterhaltung die zum Nachdenken anregt
- HemzyReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 28, 2013
Interesting concept
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
